


The End Of The World

by deathmarkedlove_archivist



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-29
Updated: 2007-01-29
Packaged: 2018-12-06 00:28:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11589291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathmarkedlove_archivist/pseuds/deathmarkedlove_archivist
Summary: The end of the world is near. Can Buffy fight the true forces of evil through all of her suffering and loss? Sequel series to The Oracle Saga. PG. 5 Parts.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Hils, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Death-Marked Love](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Death-Marked_Love). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [the Death-Marked Love collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/deathmarkedlove/profile).
> 
> Disclaimer: On The Oracle Saga - 1 - Revelations. Please read The Oracle Saga BEFORE reading The End of the World, because if you don't, you'll be completely lost. Enjoy!

Previously, on Buffy:   
"You think you know, what you are. What's to come. You haven't even begun." - Tara's voice in Restless

"Angel turned to leave. 'Take good care of her for me, Spike. I'll be back.'

As he walked away, again, he wished fervently for the end of the world to come sooner." - Angel to Spike in The Oracle Saga, Rebirth 2

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight   
Buffy looked up at Spike as they strolled through the cemetery, hand in hand. They had been chaperones at Dawn's prom that night while Joyce was minding the twins. It had been three weeks since they were born and they were growing amazingly. They already looked like they were four years old. The terrible two's had lasted about four days. Buffy knew that the prophesy was almost complete and she wanted to spend as much time with them as possible, but after three weeks of being cooped up in the house, and the boundless energy of the children, both she and Spike were eager for an outing.

They almost didn't go. William had attached himself to Spike's leg, crying unrelentingly, refusing to let them leave. Finally, Joyce had to pry Will away, promising to give him an extra special treat if he could let Mommy and Uncle Spike go for a little while. Angela had begun to whimper, insisting on getting a treat too, and Buffy and Spike quickly slipped out the back door to meet Dawn out front.

When they arrived at the Sunnydale Middle School gym, Buffy, Spike, Anya and Giles were quickly relegated to the unofficial 'adults' section. They drank watered down punch and watched as Xander tried in vain to get Dawn out on the dance floor.

Buffy and Giles had brought up her final showdown with Glory to her many times, but Dawn still couldn't remember anything from the time Faith had kicked in the door until Wesley had come. Buffy thought it would be better for Dawn not to remember. She was a little surprised that Dawn hadn't disappeared into thin air, now that Glory was no longer a threat, but she was glad that she got to keep the sister she never had.

The DJ announced the last song as Buffy and Spike swayed softly with the music, while Anya, with Giles in tow, kept an eye on Xander and Dawn nearby. It was rare that a special occasion in Sunnydale, especially one with a Slayer in attendance, could go from start to finish without incident, but the dance had been magical. Her heart had been broken too many times because of Angel. It was almost too hard to think about him without hating him or wanting to cry because she still loved him so much, or both. When he left, again, she made up her mind to stop wallowing in the past. Seeing Spike as she awoke the next day, even though everyone else had left, she knew that he would never leave her like that. It was a happy feeling, and it never went away.

Back in the Cemetery

Buffy continued to reflect on the current state of everyone in her life as she and Spike walked almost aimlessly through the cemetery.

She and Spike were supposed to take the twins up to see Angel next week. She had told him that they had been growing quickly, but he wouldn't believe how quickly unless he saw them himself. Giles had shrugged his shoulders when she had asked him about it, saying that their accelerated growth was probably part of the prophecy. She very obviously couldn't take them to Dr. Everhart. Wesley might have an answer. But, probably not. Wesley had gone back to L.A. right after Faith's funeral and hadn't spoken to anyone really since.

The gang had been over to Buffy's house to visit almost every day since the twins were born. What had surprised them more than Angela and William's growth was the fact that Buffy and Spike seemed to be an item. But more than that, they both seemed to be genuinely happy. Around the others though, Spike still had the disastrous sense of humor that always seemed to earn him a death threat.

At night, everyone would go to the cemeteries together in an effort to keep up with Buffy's patrols, now that there was no one to do them for her. But, it was easier than they had expected; fewer vampires and no impending doom.

They reached their destination and Buffy crouched down and took off the corsage that Spike had given her earlier that evening. Spike watched as the moonlight infused her hair and shoulders while she laid the flowers on the flat headstone and murmured a few words to Faith. Ever since the day Angela and William had been born, he had been in constant disbelief. The feeling was indescribable; loving her and having the love finally accepted and reciprocated. He was as happy as a neutered vampire could be.

Buffy smiled up at him for what seemed like the thousandth time that night alone, and reached her hand out to his so that he could help her up. As he did, she struck out her leg and swept his feet out from under him. He heard a muffled cry as he banged his head on the ground and looked to see Buffy already running across the cemetery. She had tricked him! He opened his mouth to call out the first callous thing to come into his mind and saw that she was fighting two shadows.

Buffy ducked and dodged as the blows came from each side no matter which way she turned. Her attacks seemed ineffectual against them. They were matched strength for strength and there were two of them and only one of her. She was relieved to see Spike emerge from the shadows and jump in. The one punch he threw connected with one of the girls and he was down on the ground for the second time that night from the pain the chip had afforded him. Human. Alive. These two were alive.

Buffy turned to see the one that Spike had hit get up and stand over him as he was still on the ground. She pulled a stake from her left front pocket, twirled it and raised her curled fist to strike.

"NO!"

The sheer desperation in Buffy's voice distracted the girl enough to allow Spike the few precious seconds to roll out of the way and get up. The girl realized that Spike had gotten away and she made ready to pummel him a second time. Buffy tried to get to him, only to be held by the other one, who was also covering her mouth this time. She watched as the girl landed punch after kick on Spike, while he desperately tried to defend himself only to be betrayed by the chip. She threw him against the side of a mausoleum and he was knocked unconscious. She stalked up to his prone form and retrieved another stake from her pocket. Buffy struggled in the other girls' clasp, but couldn't get free.

"Stop struggling, we're trying to help you."

Tears ran from Buffy's eyes as she watched the girl kneel down and raise the stake over her head.

"Annelise! What are you doing? You are not a mercenary. Let the girl go."

Buffy was released. A petite woman materialized from behind a monument and the girls stood in front of her, their hands behind them. Buffy ran to Spike, who was just coming to. "Spike, are you ok?" , she whispered to him.

He nodded and turned his attention to the three women.

"Madeline, we were just doing our job."

Buffy looked up at the girl who spoke, the one called Annelise, as she stood in the lamplight. Long black hair, done in an elaborate up do that Buffy wouldn't even consider for a wedding. Black silk duster open over a black turtleneck, black denim shorts and high lace up combat boots. She had been the one who was holding her. She glanced over to the other one, the one who had nearly killed Spike. Black hair again, this time worn in a long ponytail with bangs. Identical silk duster worn open to reveal a black tank top and black utility pants. The shoes that had kicked Spike's body while he was down were a pair of platform mary-janes. Both pairs of eyes were so dark, they looked black. Both pairs were made darker because they were ringed by dark eye makeup.

She shifted her eyes to take in the woman. Later thirties, British by the sound of it, dressed similarly to the second girl, except for wearing a short leather jacket instead of the duster. And she was mad. She brushed her dark brown hair out of her eyes and frowned. "Lisanne was doing her job. What were you doing?"

Realization dawned on Buffy as helped Spike to his feet. Casually, she joined the conversation. "She was trying to keep me from kicking Lisanne's butt from one end of the cemetery to the other because she was trying to kill my boyfriend. What you don't know is, when you were called, only one of the Slayers died permanently."

The girls had moved aside as Buffy spoke. When she was finished, they had moved to flank their watcher, Madeline. Madeline gestured to the girls to stand down, and spoke for the first time to Buffy, "Are you Buffy or Faith?"

Buffy smiled ironically. She remembered when that was the $64.000 question. "Buffy."

The girls dropped their jaws in awe.

"And your boyfriend is William the Bloody, the vicious vampire who along with Angelus cut a bloody swathe through Europe, also known as Spike?" Madeline quoted to her.

"Yes. Now if you don't mind. I quit the council years ago and I don't need you around. You can tell them that I wouldn't come back to work for them for anything, including The Apocalypse. We'll be going now." With that, Buffy turned to leave with Spike in tow.

Madeline called out, "Buffy, wait." Buffy turned with a bored look on her face. She raised her eyebrows and waited for her to continue. "We’re not with the Council anymore. They called the girls, but we have since ‘resigned’. Please don't go before I tell you why we're here."

"Ok, but I'll let you know now, if either of you try to dust Spike again, you will be in a lot of hurt. He’s no longer who he was in the history books. We have to go to my house. Somehow, I know that the campfire stories tonight will take longer than it will for the sun to rise." Buffy held Spike's hand and led the way without even looking to see if the others were following.

The three newcomers looked at each other in confusion and followed.

Buffy's House

Despite the hour, the twins were awake when Buffy got home. William had run to her with his short and chubby legs while Angela had run to Spike. Cries of "Mommy, mommy" and "Uncle Spike!" drowned out any possibility of conversation. Relieved, Joyce waved goodnight. Annelise, Lisanne and Madeline shared the same look of bewilderment and politely took the seats they were offered while Buffy and Spike disappeared for awhile.

The twins finally in bed, Buffy and Spike returned to their guests. Still dressed in their prom regalia, they sat in wide armchair together. Catching the puzzled looks on the three women's faces, Buffy grinned. "You first."

Madeline shrugged. She really wanted to know what was going on around here. Even the presence of the Hellmouth couldn't explain the strangeness of it all. But, she knew that with this one, she wouldn't get the story unless she was satisfied with hers. "My name is Madeline LaCroix. I was to become Annelise's watcher and then Lisanne's in turn when they became of age. These two are Annelise and Lisanne Dulaine, the Vampire Slayers."

New Orleans, Louisiana. Eleven years ago.

The two girls huddled against in the corner of the back room of the shop, their raven heads held together in fear. Their mother sat at the small round table across from the aged Creole woman. Her suspicions were being confirmed with each word the woman spoke. The crystal ball glowed hotly as the woman keened.

"There be a great power over de children. A great power. Great strength. Dey will be called, one after de other. Dey will die, one after de other and dey will die young. Dis, it must be done." The woman slumped in her seat and the ball ceased glowing.

The mother got up and stood over the seer. Through clenched teeth she uttered, "This will not be!"

The seer, with her blind eyes still closed, cracked open her mouth and said softly. "You can't hope to change their destiny, child. It is who they will become."

The woman wasn't listening and silently, she took their hands in both of hers and led them out of the shop. She knew that the seer had been correct about what she had seen. She was never wrong. As they arrived at their crumbling little home, she set about to do the impossible and prove that the woman was wrong. She would not lose her girls. They were all that she had left.

She had seen the strange aura around her girls when they were born. No matter how far away from each other they were, it had always connected them. As they grew older, it shone just a little more on Annelise, who had been born first. Now, at six years old, her dismissal of it had turned to worry, which had quickly turned to obsession. It was this obsession that led her to visit the fortune-teller for the first time since before they were born.

With the girls asleep in their little bed upstairs, the woman sat in the room that was nearly devoid of furniture. The designs were outlined on the bare wood floor. On the table, a small cauldron boiled and eerie smoke belched out of it slowly. The only light in the room was that of the burning candles and incense. As she finished the chant with a last triumphant word, a darker patch of black appeared before her in the room. A voice boomed from it, both deafeningly loud, but utterly silent, for it was in her head. "Who has summoned me?" it demanded.

"I, Morica Dulaine, daughter of Serena, who was daughter of Garliane. I have summoned you."

A feeling of mirth emanated from the darkness. "Do you think you can hold me, witch? Your paltry skills are no match for one of the ages. Stop this before you hurt yourself."

"Leave my home. Leave my daughters. I will not have your presence harm them. I will it. I demand it," she continued only faltering a little. She felt her grasp on consciousness falter as well.

"If you wish to live, human, you must not continue this. Even now, your life is draining away because of the energy required to keep me here. Your daughters have been marked by me for a reason. They must fulfill their destiny. For the love of your daughters, do not do this," the darkness pleaded with her.

"I will not see my daughters die in turn because of you!" Her eyes opened further and she raised her hands. White light emanated from her hands and shot out to attack the darkness. The bolts connected and were returned to her. She had put every last bit of power she had into them and in her weakened state, they killed her instantly.

The darkness faded away and said sadly to no one at all. "No, you will not."

Buffy's House, Just before Sunrise

The words of the dream she had after they had defeated Adam came back to her. What was she really? Dracula had said that it was a darkness that they both shared. "What happened next?"

Madeline continued, "I had just completed my Watcher training two years prior. I was assigned to watch over the girls as they grew, and to collect both when Annelise was called. I followed them everywhere. I was in the seer's shop when the pronouncement was made. I was outside the window when their mother met her untimely demise. I broke in, went upstairs and took the girls away from there."

The girls were upset. It wasn't the first time they heard this story. They barely remembered their mother now, though. They had loved her very much, and they were very much in awe of her at the time and knew how fiercely protective she was of them. But, now, Madeline is all they know. She was their Watcher, their mother, and their friend.

"We went to New York. There, I tutored them privately in every bit of lore and all of the Slayer's histories. I received word from the council as each Slayer was called. Then you were called Buffy. From your Watcher's reports they were amazed by you. And, they were afraid of you. They didn't let you know about either of the Slayers that were called after your first death. They never intended to let you continue living as the Slayer. There could only be one at a time. But, after you quit, they wrote you off and began putting the pressure on me to step up the girls' training."

"I privately wondered about the demands and the actions of the council, but I continued to follow their orders. The girls and I went on patrols through the streets of Manhattan. The activity there is not as high as it is here, but it was good for practice."

"When I received the call three weeks ago, I was told that not one, but both Slayers had died. Both Annelise and Lisanne were being called. I was sad to hear that you and Faith had gone, but also glad that I didn't have to lose one of my girls before the other. The next night, three men arrived on our doorstep. One claimed to be their new watcher. The other two were there to 'dispatch' me and take the girls. We fought our way out and took the first flight out to California, where I knew that your Watcher still resided."

"Something big is going to happen here in Sunnydale and we are here and on your side." Madeline concluded.

The Gates of Hell

Glory pushed her blond ringlets out of her face as she picked herself off of the cracked and heated ground. The landscape shifted and suddenly, she was kneeling before the three thrones. She shivered, not only from fear, but from the intense cold.

"Take off that hideous disguise." The figure in the middle snapped his fingers and Glory was reduced to her demon form. "There, that's better. Tell us, why did you fail?"

"My lord," she sobbed "I can explain. The Key-"

"I am uninterested in hearing about the Key. You had thousands of years to reopen the Gates. You were the last left in the world of mortals who could have done it and you were defeated by a little girl. Now I see, that if I want something done, I must do it myself. Come, my friends."

Asmodeus rose and walked past Glory. He was the lord of this realm, and the strongest of all the inhabitants of hell. He had been there at the end of the last battle when the last demon threw its being into that of a dying human. From hell, he saw when the darkness betrayed its demonic brothers and entered into the body of a woman halfway across the world from the first vampire. The darkness failed to meld completely with her and had been sucked into hell as well, but its power remained with her.

He longed for the time when he and his followers could once again reign supreme over the earth. He had trusted in his servants, but one after the other, they had failed him. He would not fail. He will open the Hellmouth and the world would be his to rule as well.


	2. Chapter 2

The Seventh Depth of Hell

Sataaran listened carefully as Asmodeus explained his plan and offered him his place as the ruler of the lowest depth of hell in exchange for his help. Sataaran had spent half of eternity waiting for Asmodeus to do something as foolish as this so that he could rule in his place. Nodding in agreement he said, “Send for the two who will do our bidding.”

Buffy’s House

The alarm went off with its usual annoying buzz! buzz! buzz!

Buffy cracked her eyes open and saw that the room was entirely dark. 4:00 the digital display read too cheerily from across the room. The alarm was still going off. Rolling over and throwing the blanket back, she padded to the clock and threw it against the wall. It was the only way to turn it off.

Taking her robe from the back of her desk chair, she put it on and tied the belt loosely and went back to the bed. She admired the covers for a moment. They had been a present from her mother upon her release from the hospital, when she had brought her babies home. Ripping the comforter from her bed, she encountered the white sheets underneath surrounding a form topped with hair blonder than hers.

She peeled back the sheets to reveal his face still caught halfway between sleep and wakefulness. She continued to pull the covers so that his sinewy shoulders, chest and arms were exposed. She began to pull some more and he donned a mischievous smile and yanked the blankets back from her as hard as he could. He failed. As he was still holding the sheets, Buffy pulled as hard as she could and he wound up sprawled on the floor.

Picking up the entire mess and leaving Spike pouting on the floor, Buffy began making the bed.

The Magic Box

It was a few minutes before sunrise when Buffy and Spike with Angela and William in tow arrived at the magic shop. Buffy had finally recovered from the entire birthing process. She had gone for a checkup yesterday and gotten a clean bill of health from Dr. Everhart. The doctor still wanted to see the children, but Buffy had demurred saying that they had hired a full time nurse who took care of all of their medical needs.

The twins were still growing rapidly. It had been a week and a half since they first met Annelise, Lisanne and Madeline and they now resembled eight year olds. Mentally, however, they were a paradox. They were amazingly intelligent, but still acted and reacted like any normal eight year old child. They had begun clamoring to be taken places two days ago, and finally Buffy and Spike had given in and taken them to the magic shop this morning. On the car ride over in Joyce’s sport utility vehicle, they fought continually in the back seat. They were reading as many books as they could get their hands on be they Giles’ tomes, brought over by Willow or Xander, or “The Cat in the Hat”.

Tonight, they would be heading to Los Angeles to visit Angel. It had been almost five weeks since he last saw his children. Would he recognize them? Buffy thought to herself as Giles let them in. Angela looked exactly as she did when she was eight. Did William look like Angel when he was that age? Buffy thought he probably did. She and Spike spoke about Angel as ‘Daddy’. But, as far as the twins were concerned, Uncle Spike, Uncle Xander and Uncle Giles were all that really mattered. They were excited that they would finally get to meet Angel, but then again they were incredibly excited at their first real outing all together.

As Buffy looked around the shop, she couldn’t believe what had been done. Willow, Anya, Xander and Tara stood under a sign that had been painted which read “Welcome, Angela and William!!!” The duo ran, delighted, into the arms of her friends. There were presents in a pile and large cake covered in chocolate icing on the main table.

Spike took Giles’ offered hand and shook it as hard as he could without letting the chip in his head do its work. Giles readjusted his glasses and glared at Spike. The Englishman’s face broke into a smile and he clapped Spike on the back, hard.

“You guys didn’t have to do this,” Buffy remarked as Willow came over to offer her a hug as well.

“Well, we probably won’t ever get to throw them a birthday party, and what kid’s life is the same without at least one childhood party experience?” asked with a small hopeful smile on her face.

“Thanks, Will.” Buffy’s smile seemed genuine, but in her heart, she knew that Willow was right. At the rate they were growing, they would look like they were her age in less than a month. She wondered what would happen then.

Madeline said that something was going to happen here in Sunnydale, and soon. She was behind the counter with a neglected cup of coffee, poring over one of the many dusty books in the establishment. There hadn’t been too many obvious signs of extremely bad supernatural occurrences. But, strange things were happening, mostly involving Buffy. She had conceived the not dead yet Oracles on a day that never happened, they were born and she had died along with Faith, calling two more Slayers, she had a sister when she never did before and oh yeah, her lover was a vampire. Hardly evil, just normal life according to Buffy Summers. Still, Madeline insisted on looking for any prophecies that went from Buffy-normal to evil.

Leaving Angela and William to the care of her friends as they gleefully tore into their presents, Buffy opened the door to her training room. Inside, Annelise and Lisanne were sparring. They were literally flying all over the place. Madeline had mentioned that the girls had taken gymnastics as part of their training along with many of the martial arts, fencing and archery, private tutoring and Slayer training. They reminded her of Kendra. Being brought up from an early age, knowing that they would each be chosen. It made her a little jealous. As she continued to watch them, Buffy studied their style. It was all Faith. They clearly enjoyed what they were doing.

As Lisanne caught Annelise in a headlock, Annelise dropped to the ground and flipped her sister over and made the motion of a stake through the heart. Quick and resourceful, Giles thought as he moved behind Buffy with barely her notice. They were so much like the Slayers he had known, but especially Buffy. They were each at least as strong as her, if not stronger. Even as Annelise extended her hand to help her sister up, Lisanne tucked into a roll and brought Annelise down.

Annelise got up quickly and put her hands on her hips and scolded her sister, “If you were a vampire, you would be dust right now and you couldn’t have done that.”

Lisanne took on an identical pose and admonished her in turn, “You were off your guard. What if I was a demon? I could have played dead and in the half second your back was turned, killed you just now.”

Buffy walked into the room and removed the coat she had put on earlier to keep out the cool pre-dawn air. She smiled sunnily at them and arranged herself into a fighting pose. “My turn?”

The Magic Box, Late Afternoon

The three of them had competed all morning and taken a break for lunch, which consisted of left over cake and pizza, and wanted to train a little more in the afternoon. They wanted Spike to join them. He had first protested because his soap operas were on and he couldn’t miss a single minute. Afterward, he said that he was too tired. Finally, he admitted to Buffy, that he wasn’t sure how he could fight them, considering he wasn’t able to before. He didn’t want to end up hurt or worse, even more dead. Finally, Buffy got him to agree to a ‘tag-team’ match against them, the losers having to clean up the children’s mess in the shop. Spike couldn’t refuse that; he hated to pick up after himself, let alone them.

Annelise and Lisanne remembered being in awe at the cemetery where they met not one but two legends. Later that evening, when Buffy and Spike told their entire story, they were speechless. Now, two people who were just names without faces, were people they knew and considered friends. At first, they didn’t know what to make of Spike. A vampire, but not souled like Buffy claimed Angelus to be, so he was essentially bad. But to watch him with the children, and then with Buffy, Spike was the man he was before he was turned. Hopelessly in love and no more harmless than a puppy. When they sparred, however, he was more than their match and Buffy and Spike won easily over them.

The sun was beginning to set and it was time to go. Angela and William whined the whole time while they packed away the goodies that Buffy’s friends had given them and entered the backseat of the Grand Cherokee. They didn’t _want_ to leave, couldn’t they just stay for another hour? Uncle Giles had another book for them to read, Aunt Tara was going to do a magic trick for us, do we HAVE to go?

As Spike made sure that they were secured into their seat belts, Buffy ignored their questions. Instead, she filled Annelise and Lisanne in on all the hot spots of Sunnydale and left them Angel’s hotel’s phone number just in case something happened back at the ranch.

Outside Los Angeles

The twins had quieted down as Buffy drove them out of Sunnydale. They watched with wonder as the landscape passed by them at the California state speed limit. It wasn’t the most beautiful landscape in Buffy’s opinion. It was mostly small hills, houses, concrete and more cars, but the kids were spellbound.

The Jeep crested a hill and from the top they could see the sparkling lights of L.A. not ten minutes away.

Angel Investigations

Cordelia pointed to each of her fingers as she said aloud, “Formula, diapers, camera, crib. Do you think we need to get more film?” she asked Wesley as she continued to pace.

“For heaven’s sake Cordelia, calm down. I’m sure Buffy is bringing everything that she needs, and no, we do not need any more film. Six rolls should be enough,” he finished dryly.

“I didn’t get –,” Cordelia began, then realized that Wesley was kidding. He had been coming out of his shell since Faith had died. This, however was his first attempt at humor. It should be a good thing, but she was upset that it had been directed at her. She smiled tightly and went to wait on the steps in the foyer of the old hotel.

Three knocks sounded at the door, and before Cordelia could get up, Angel had flown past her and opened the door to Buffy, smiling brightly and throwing her arms around him in a hug. Behind her, a black clad figure loomed and Angel looked out over her shoulder. “Spike.”

Spike pushed his way past Angel and Buffy and plunked himself down on the thickly padded sofa further inside. He put his boots up on the coffee table and proceeded to exhale as if in rapture and light a cigarette.

Cordelia was up before he had a chance to put out the match. “Listen here, buddy. This may be how you act when you are at home, but I’ve got news for you, this isn’t it. Get your clod hoppers off of this table,” she concluded and shoved Spike’s feet off the table. She had just dusted after all.

Angel and Wesley hooted with laughter and when they finally calmed down, Angel noticed the absence of baby carriages, carriers, strollers, etc. “Where are they?”,. he asked Buffy.

She opened the second door and behind it stood two eight year old children. “William, Angela, this is your father, Angel.”

Angel was in shock and would have guessed it was a joke, except the boy, William, looked exactly as he did when he was eight. Over two hundred years ago and he still remembered. He kneeled down in front of Angela and took her hand in a handshake, taking care not to squeeze too hard. This little girl was going to grow up to look just like her mother, he thought to himself. “Hi,” he said softly.

Next he turned to William and stood. Despite Spike being his namesake, he was filled with an incredible sense of pride. These were his children. Never mind that they were eight when they were supposed to be five weeks old; he would find out why later. He held out his hand to the boy and he took it and shook it vigorously. “Hi, Daddy,” the boy said staring up as high as he could to see all of his father. Still holding his son’s (his son!) hand with his right, Angel gave his left hand to Angela and they walked into the foyer so that they could be properly introduced to Cordelia and Wesley.

Buffy watched as Angel held his children and couldn’t help but be sad. In another world, they would be a family, and these children would still be babies. They would be happy and in love and there would be no such things as vampires or demons. But, in that other world, she wouldn’t be with Spike. He was far more than she ever expected, in every way. Angel finally let the children run free around the hotel and invited Buffy and Spike to sit.

“What happened?” Angel asked as they made themselves comfortable, sharing a small loveseat, indicating the kids as they ran first up one side of the stairs and down the other.

Buffy shrugged her shoulders and said, “Giles thinks their growth has been accelerated so that they will be able to take up their roles as the Oracles as soon as possible. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

Angel just stared at his children and nodded slowly. His expression gave no indication of the emotions brewing just underneath. Pride that his children were healthy and strong, hurt because he had missed every part of their brief childhood, jealous because Spike had been there, for Buffy and his children. He glanced over to Spike and noticed the young vampires’ smug expression. He knew that he could be everything to Buffy that Angel could not. At this thought, Angel felt a twinge of discouragement. She was who he was working for. Forget the Powers that Be, forget redemption, because at the end of all that, she was the real goal. To be with her, to love her and never let her go. If he was rewarded with humanity in her lifetime, he knew that Spike would have to be dealt with.

Cordelia looked from Buffy to Angel and said, “I guess we won’t be needing that formula after all.”

An Undisclosed Location

She blew her blonde hair out of her eyes in frustration as she watched the darker woman stare vapidly into space.

The darker woman nodded and murmured to herself. “Daddy has lambs. They told me where to find them!” she concluded as she spun slowly with her arms outstretched, giggling.

Santa Monica Pier

Angel managed to find a parking space for Buffy’s mom’s SUV and she, the twins, Spike, Cordelia and Wesley piled out. They had decided to go to this small amusement park instead of staying at the hotel. Angel desperately wanted his children to get to know him and like him, so he was determined to show them a good time.

He watched, as he paid the entrance fee as the children cavorted and easily grabbed at Spike, calling him uncle. He couldn’t help his frustration from showing. Buffy noticed the dark looks Angel was passing at Spike and gathered their children to her. She kneeled down and said a few words to them and they nodded. Slowly, they made their way to Angel and dutifully clasped his hands.

Buffy turned to smile at him encouragingly and told the children to be good for Daddy. Walking towards the park, she faced forward again and grasped Spike’s hand.

Sadly, Angel stared down at his children as they took in the sights of the park with wonder. They would only be in this world for a short time. It hurt that he couldn’t be with her right now, that Spike was where he wanted to be. But, he would have to wait. His children came first tonight.

Later

After they had ridden several rides and eaten together, the group split up. Cordelia had gone with Wesley to try out the mountain climbing apparatus situated in the middle of the park. Spike, at Buffy’s request took the children from ride to ride and rode each one with them over and over again as they wanted. Angel and Buffy leaned on the railing of the pier and stared eastward at the lights of L.A.

“So.” Angel began.

Buffy looked up at him. “So.”

He took her hand and held it to his chest. As always there was no movement beneath it. “Are you happy?” he asked her.

Buffy took her hand back and turned to stare at the lights in the distance. “What’s happy?” she asked already holding back tears. “If it is with someone who I love and trust, who loves me no matter what, then yes.” She continued, still not looking at him. “Spike knows how much I love you. He knows that it is more than I can ever love him, but he stays with me, and is there for me. He won’t ever leave me, especially when I need him the most.”

Angel listened at her thinly veiled accusations of him. How could he make her understand that every time he left, he was heartbroken as well? How could he explain that until he was worthy in his mind and in those of the Powers that be, that he would not and could not allow himself to be a part of her life? That he was not yet redeemed and until he was, their love would have to wait? All these questions unasked, he stared into her eyes, which were full of hurt.

“Oh, Buffy,” he said softly, crushing her into his chest. He had only wanted the best for her. To have the life that he couldn’t give her. He knew that someday she would get over him. He didn’t realize that she had to get over him every day of her life. A normal life wasn’t possible for her. And though it hadn’t been his fault, he hadn’t helped.

She pulled away from him and looked as though she was going to say something when Cordelia and Wesley ran up to them.

“Angela, William, they’re in danger!” Wesley blurted out breathlessly

Angel growled, “Where are they?”

Cordelia shook her head. “I had a vision that knocked me right off of the mountain climbing thingy. I couldn’t see where they were, but felt that they were being taken away from here. Spike was with them.”

Angel grabbed at Cordelia’s shoulders, “Where are they?”

She protested from his clutch, “I didn’t see! I saw two others in the car and saw them heading back to the city.”

He shoved her aside, rougher than he wanted, and Cordelia was sent sprawling. He raced towards the parking lot and the car. Buffy was right next to him. He was sure that her expression was a mirror of his own. He heard Wesley and Cordelia struggling to keep up with them. They reached the car and on the windshield was a piece of paper with a very familiar letterhead.

You know where to find us. The children for Angelus and our family will be together again.

The paper was unsigned and was crushed in Angel’s fist as Cordelia and Wesley entered the car. Buffy looked at him questioningly and he shook his head.

“I know where they are.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Lindsey, you haven’t said a word since we got back,” Darla pouted.

Lindsey McDonald looked at Darla with his cool blue eyes and said nothing. As always, she managed to conjure in him feelings of lust, disgust and desire to know more. He packed all of these emotions back in and gave her a curt smile. “I’m waiting to see what the word is from the senior partners on the little ‘extra’ you and Dru brought back from the pier.”

Darla gave him a coy smile and turned her back to him. She thought about how easy it was to get the two brats and Spike to boot.

Earlier

“She’s here.” Drusilla announced as she and Darla clomped on the boardwalk towards the amusement park.

“Yes, Dru. We’ve been following her all night.” Darla said with a condescending sneer. “We do this one little thing for the senior partners and we’ll have our happy family again.”

Ignoring Darla, Drusilla ran down the boardwalk, creating a commotion as she passed, laughing wildly. Before the end of the pier, she stopped and sat down. She began to sway as she got caught up in the voices that continually whispered to her. “He feels now. They put a soul in his brains. All icky and pink goo. He’s been in. With her.”

Darla hoisted her up in mid sentence and shook her violently. “That’s enough, Dru. Look, they’ve split up.”

Giving the blonde vampire a sweet smile, Drusilla skipped over to where Spike was standing, absently waiting on line while Angela and William pointed out this thing or that. Suddenly, he felt a jab in the middle of his back. “You’ve been a naughty boy,” he heard from behind him.

“Dru. So nice to have you back. Couldn’t stand the Chaos Demon post nasal drip?” Spike replied smoothly. He held the children’s hands very tightly, but was relieved that they hadn’t said or done anything. They simply stared up at Drusilla and squeezed his hands back.

“Actually,” another voice purred, “we’ve come to do a job. A little business, a little pleasure. Lots of fun.”

Drusilla still holding the stake to his back, Spike turned to see who else had spoken. They had maneuvered off of the line for the Tilt a Whirl ride and were standing just inside the entrance to the park proper. No one had noticed the confrontation. “Didn’t Angel stake you a couple years back?” he asked with a smile as he saw Darla for the first time in nearly a century.

A look that was both hurt and angry preceded Darla’s words. “We’re not here to talk about me. Let me have the kids, and you will come along for the ride. We wouldn’t want anything happening to them if their Uncle Spike wasn’t around now would we?”

Angela and William looked up at him, unsure, and he nodded back at them. He released their hands and Darla grabbed them. He had to make sure they stayed safe. He didn’t know what he would do if something were to happen to them. One false move from him, and they would die. With Darla, he didn’t doubt it. What he didn’t know was that she had received explicit orders not to harm them in any way. As they exited the park, Dru kept the stake firmly pressed into his back under his duster.

When they reached the law offices of Wolfram & Hart, they didn’t expect what happened next. As Spike went through the metal detectors, the alarms went off. He took off his coat and it still went off. He removed his change, his cigarette holder, his lighter and the knife out of his boot and the alarm still went off. When the guard passed the wand over his head it began to go off.

At that, he was whisked away and they hadn’t heard any news about him yet. Not that Darla had cared. He was a reckless fool. And if Drusilla was right, he was the Slayer’s latest beau. Darla just didn’t understand. What was it about this Slayer that got her children in such a state?

The Eighth Depth of Hell

“Cetatari, you look ghastly.” Asmodeus purred.

The female pursed her blackened lips and threw her lusterless hair over her shoulder. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Asmo.”

Asmodeus glared at her and retrieved suave look he had on earlier, and reached for her skeletal hand, kissed the withering flesh on it and released it. “Please, my dear, it’s Asmodeus.”

“What do you want?”

“You. To rule by my side. As we speak, the motions of our puppets on earth are bringing me closer to opening the Gates.”

“What, that pitiful group of lawyers who fancy themselves conjurors? I’d almost forgotten about them.”

“The same. I told you they would be useful someday.”

“What about the Oracles? Surely they will seek to intervene on the earthly plane.” she asked.

Asmodeus chuckled. “Don’t you remember? They were killed. The Powers sought to bring them back, but they are but helpless children right now. They are being held as we speak by those same pitiful conjurors.”

Cetatari favored Asmodeus with a smile that was both coy and revolting. She offered her hand to him this time and he helped her from her throne. She raised their hands together and twirled herself so that she was in his arms. “Devilish, my dear.”

“As always. Say you will rain unholy terror and wreak havoc with me when we are released from this realm.” He looked at her intently as he slowly crushed her exposed ribcage.

Cetatari laughed and the sound was like a thousand voices screaming out in pain. Humor danced in her bottomless eyes as she answered. “I look forward to it.”

Elsewhere at Wolfram & Hart

Lila stood in the dank stone faced sub basement and looked at the children in the cage and couldn’t help but feel a little sympathy for them. She didn’t know what Asmodeus had planned for them, but she guessed that it couldn’t be pleasant. Had they grown since they got here? They had had plenty of room in the cage, as long as they remained seated. Now, the boy’s head reached almost the top of the cage and their elbows and toes were now sticking out through the bars.

“Lila!”

Lila jumped and turned guiltily towards the pentagram that had long been burned into the floor of the room and the image which shimmered over it.

“Yes, master?” she inquired as she kept her head bowed. Even though the image was not the real him, she didn’t want to look at him for longer than a moment or what happened to her predecessor would happen to her.

“Where is Angelus?”

“I-I don’t know, master. He hasn’t arrived yet.”

Asmodeus vented his frustration in a frightening display of lightening crashes and thunderous roars. Angela and William cringed as they hugged each other for support within their confines.

The Hyperion Hotel

“Buffy, for the last time, I know that Wolfram & Hart want me. They always have. If you come, our children will be put in danger.” Angel said patiently as he put together his bag of weapons. He had already convinced Cordelia and Wesley of the same. They had agreed, but very reluctantly.

“I can’t stay behind. They are my children too.” Buffy stated angrily clutching the small case of weaponry she had brought along for the trip. She had hoped that she wouldn’t need them, but tonight’s events proved her wrong.

Angel sighed in frustration. She was right. “Ok. But as soon as we get there, there is going to be a trade. I want you to take the kids and get out of there. I’ll get out on my own.”

Buffy nodded briskly, but in her mind she knew that she would get him out. Angel and – “Spike!” she cried out as they scrambled into his black convertible. In all the excitement, she had forgotten about him. What could they want with Spike? she thought to herself, and hoped that he was alright too.

Angel looked at her sideways and at her anguished expression. He still had to fight revulsion when he thought of Spike with Buffy. But now was not the time to fight. “I’ll get him out too,” he said grimly as they raced through the streets of Los Angeles.

Wolfram & Hart

“Hello, pet.” Spike drawled as he swaggered into the office that Lindsey, Darla and Drusilla occupied.

Drusilla squealed, jumped down from the desk and ran to him and captured him in an embrace and allowed him to spin her around. “They ripped the soul out of the pink! My Spike is back!”

“Back and badder than ever, pet,” he replied as he lit a cigarette.

Drusilla pulled away from him and looked into his eyes. “You’ve been in her. Bad Spike. Miss Edith will give you a tongue lashing.”

“Only Miss Edith? Oh Dru, you tease,” he countered with deadly mirth in eyes.

Darla rolled her eyes. “Welcome back, Will—Spike.”

Lindsey opened his mouth to speak and a loud ‘bang!’ interrupted him. “Looks like we have company,” he said as he pressed the intercom button. “Lila? Please let the senior partners know that Angel has arrived.”

Turning to the three vampires, he smirked and said, “Let’s go and greet our guest, shall we?”

“Actually,” Buffy said smartly with a crossbow in her hands, “You have more company than you expected.” She fired, the bolt first grazing Lindsey’s shoulder and finding its target as Drusilla shriveled first into a skeleton and then into brown ash. As she watched, filled with a certain amount of pride at another clean kill, she looked up to see who had been standing behind her.

“Spike? What are you doing here?” She went to him, ignoring the sirens in the hallway behind her and the commotion that ensued. Darla and Lindsey, despite his injury, had caught sight of Angel in the doorway as he baited them. They gave chase as he ran through the halls of the law offices.

Buffy went to hold him when something stopped her. She looked at him. “Something’s wrong. What did they do to you? Why were you here with them?”

Spike looked at her with an incomprehensible expression on his face. “It wasn’t what it looked like! I had to convince them that I was working with them.”

Buffy shook her head in confusion. “Why?”

Spike looked down and said softly, “They took the chip out of my head.”

Buffy involuntarily gasped and moved away, stake drawn. She had always wondered what would happen if the microchip was ever removed. Now Spike had the freedom to be as evil as he wanted. She didn’t want to kill him. Angel may have been her soul mate, but her heart, her life, belonged to the vampire in front of her.

Bloody say something, he thought to himself. He knew that someday this day would come. The chip would be removed and she would kill him. He only wished it hadn’t been so soon. There were so many things he wanted to do with her, to say. He only hoped that it would be quick. He braced himself.

Buffy looked at him with tears in her eyes, to see the same expression reflected back at her from his face. “Please, tell me why I shouldn’t do this.”

Spike thought quickly. Their relationship had been a surprise to everyone including himself, but they never talked about it. They both knew how the other felt, but it was time to finally say it. “I love you,” he stated with stark honesty. Shocked, Buffy lowered the stake.

He held her shoulders and continued. “I always have. It only took the quiet time the chip gave me for me to realize it myself. I’ll always love you. Please believe me Buffy.”

She stared back at him, her eyes questing his. She didn’t know what to think. She wanted to believe him. He had opportunities before to kill her before he got the chip. He had never taken them. A scream from the hallway roused her from her deep thoughts and she sighed. “Come on, we’ve got work to do.”

Elsewhere at Wolfram & Hart

“Quite a reunion,” Darla sighed as she stroked Angel’s face. She tried not to let her smile falter as he turned away from her. He didn’t even try to pull against the chains that bound him to the wall. In the corner, she could see his children as they watched the scene before them unfold.

Spike walked in behind Buffy. He was holding her arms behind her and she struggled in his grasp. He glanced over at the children and looked away. He couldn’t stand to see the hope in their eyes die as they saw that he was holding their mother against her will. They had grown in the time they were here and they looked almost twelve. Good thing they had learned early on to buy and dress them in clothes that were too big.

Buffy looked around at the surroundings. The odds were definitely against her and Spike. Angel was chained to the wall with Darla smirking beside him. Her children were in a cage that was too small for their growing forms, guarded by a man and a woman who were backed up by at least a score of assorted demons. She had no weapons except for the stake she always carried in her waistband. Her thoughts were interrupted. *Mother, Father. Can you hear us?*

Buffy looked to her children, startled. Her glance skittered to Angel and she saw that he had heard too. She surreptitiously looked down at her shoes as Spike held her. She saw the pentagram on the floor begin to glow and a mist was swirling around it. I hear you, she thought.

Mother, we must leave now. When we go, you must escape.

Go? Buffy thought at them. How? Where?

You will see us again. But, we can not stay where it is no longer safe. She heard them say in her mind.

As their voices faded from her mind a shower of sparks and thunder emanated from the pentagram and she looked to see what could only be described as a demon prince. The man was huge, at least twelve feet tall and built like a body builder. His body was cloaked loosely with a short red robe which was open to show off his huge pectoral muscles. Below the robe, two back facing men’s legs, which ended in goat’s hooves were exposed. His face was incredibly handsome and would have been perfect except for the large backswept rams horns that emerged from each temple. His eyes were blacker than black and Buffy could see herself reflected in the orbs that were as big as a man’s fist.

His voice bellowed, “You have done well, my lambs. Asmodeus will be pleased.”

Darla’s features twisted in scorn and changed into her vampire guise. As she stalked up to him, she growled. “Sataaran! This is enough. I did your bidding and my debt for your bringing me back is repaid.”

Sataaran looked at her and laughed. He moved his arm behind him and backhanded her so quickly that had she not risen shakily on the other side of the room, no one would have believed he had even done it. “Foolish creature. Bring the Slayer to me.”

Spike hesitated and moved to the center of the room slowly. There was a flash of golden white light and when it ended, everyone in the room including Sataaran was looking around owlishly trying to get the afterglow out of their vision. Buffy looked to the cage where her children were being held. It was empty.

“Now!” she cried out.

Spike released her and ran straight into the group of demons that were still staring at the cage in confusion. He removed the knife from his boot and threw the sword from her weapon bag that he had been hiding at Buffy. The battle was on and it didn’t look good. Sataaran was trapped in the pentagram, but he didn’t allow that to stop him from throwing fireballs in and attempt to stop what was going to happen. Asmodeus needed Angelus to open the gates of hell. He threw another fireball at Angel and he disappeared.

The action had cleared and Buffy turned just as Angel disappeared in a ball of fire. “Angel!”

Buffy looked at the spot where Angel had been, and made short work of the two Zarcon demons she had been fighting. With one circular swing, Buffy beheaded them both. She glanced over at Spike and saw that he was holding his own. Sataaran’s errant fireballs had taken out more than a handful of the demons and only a few remained. She walked right into the pentagram and stood face to waist with the hell lord. She raised the sword and was about to plunge it through his heart when she heard a female voice behind her.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Buffy.”

Buffy turned to see Spike, with his arms being held behind his back by Darla. They were flanked by the demons who had survived the fray and the man and woman who had taken cover during it.

Buffy’s heart leapt into her throat. “Let him go,” she said calmly.

“Oh. Little Slayer trying to tell me what to do?” Darla asked, with a hard edge to her voice. “No.”

With that word, Buffy saw Spike stiffen. She watched in horror as the wooden point burst through his chest. He looked up at her. “I will always love you,” she saw the words as his mouth formed around them. As he uttered that last word, he burst into dust.

Tears of grief and tears of anger clouded Buffy’s vision. She dropped to the floor pawed through the dust of he who had been the love of her life. She had never told him that, she thought to herself bitterly as she placed a handful into her pocket.

Darla stood above her laughing. Darla’s laugh was stifled as Buffy drove Spike’s knife through her heart. And twisted. Buffy raised the sword which was still in her other arm and with it, parted Darla from her head forever.

The demons who had been standing in a rough circle around the three, were stunned. Now there was only one. She fought like a demon herself, slashing and hacking through everything that got in the way of her sword. Dried tears stained her face, but there was no longer any emotion. When the room was cleared, she left without looking back.

The Seventh Depth of Hell

Sataaran had left the room before the carnage had begun and he took Lila and Lindsey with him. From the depths of his hell, he watched as Angel twitched on the cracked and broken ground. They had a lot of work to do.


	4. Chapter 4

The Magic Box  
The gang had just returned from patrols with Annelise and Lisanne. On their way back from the cemeteries, they had picked up a couple of pizzas and were laughing with each other good naturedly. As they sat around the table, the two Watchers emerged from the stacks with grim looks on their faces.

"Whoa, what's with the end of the world faces?" Xander quipped.

Giles and Madeline looked at each other and Giles spoke, "That's because we have found what Madeline has been looking for. She knew from prophecies that something was going to happen in Sunnydale and soon. We have just located a reference to the Mortarum Scrolls."

"I'm guessing that we're fresh out of those." Xander replied.

"Shh. Xander, shut up so he can finish." Anya scolded him.

Giles sighed and paused, cleaning his glasses. Madeline continued. "The Mortarum Scrolls are required reading for any Watcher in training. They prophesize the vanquishing of the last true demon to walk the earth. There were several who were not sucked into the depths of hell as the Gates closed. The last would only be known in the scrolls as 'she who had no name'. When this happened, it would set off a chain of events that would lead to the end of the world as we know it."

The group sat in a stunned silence. They all knew that Glory was just an alias. And that she was gone, thanks to Dawn. Xander asked stubbornly, "So, did they happen to mention what this chain of events would be?"

Giles spoke up in a quiet voice, "Death, destruction, the usual."

Sunrise, Earlier that Day, Hyperion Hotel

She and Wesley had been waiting anxiously all night for any word, any news, anything. But, as the hours had gone by, they had resorted to skimming through the assorted magazines and newspapers that were lying around the foyer of the hotel. As the sun was rising, Wesley had fallen asleep over a fantasy novel he had purchased over the internet. Something about elves and archmages if Cordelia remembered correctly. Cordelia had been just about to doze off herself when she heard the familiar rumble of Angel's old convertible. She jumped up and threw open the front door.

"Buffy!" Cordelia exclaimed as she saw the Slayer trudge up the steps to the hotel, still covered in demon blood.

"Where is everyone?" she asked looking around for the kids, at least. She knew that Angel and Spike would have to stick to the sewers because of the unattractive burst into flames aspect of their natures.

Buffy stared at the ground for what seemed like an eternity and finally looked up at Cordelia. Cordelia was startled by what she saw in Buffy's eyes. She saw nothing at all. Cordelia began to panic. "Where are they?"

Buffy looked down once more and pushed past Cordelia and went up the stairs. As she passed she mumbled something that sounded to Cordelia like, "All gone."

As Cordelia stared up the stairs in desperation, she heard a rustling snort as Wesley woke. He looked at her sleepily and asked, "Was that Buffy?"

Later, after they had discussed why Buffy had returned alone and tried in vain to not believe that no one else would be returning, Wesley and Cordelia decided to look for Buffy and try to talk to her about what happened. They looked first in the room that she was sharing with Spike. When they didn't find her there, they noticed that the door to the adjoining room that William and Angela were to be sharing was open.

When they pushed the door open more, they looked inside to see Buffy lying on one of the beds, covered in the clothing that she had packed for her children for what was to be a weekend trip to Daddy's, staring dully at the wall in front of her. She was still wearing her blood spattered clothes and some of the blood had seeped into the children's. She gave no indication that she had seen them enter, except for the faintest flicker in her eyes, which could have been a blink for all anyone could see she was still blank faced.

Cordelia decided to give contact a try despite her overwhelming urge to leave this room and come back when she could believe the sight in front of her.

"Buffy?" Nothing.

"Buffy?" she said louder this time. Pain and grief.

"Buffy!" Finally, the liquid hazel eyes rolled from their straight ahead position and rested on her. Cordelia couldn't stand it. To say that Buffy's gaze was alarming was an understatement. Pain, grief, desolation, wretched sadness, and utter hopelessness were all there. And then it was gone again. Cordelia had never seen her like this. No matter what pain Buffy had suffered, she had always possessed a grim determination to go forward and make things right again, no matter what she had to do to do it. This empty shell was just a representation of Buffy. Nothing more.

"Buffy, what happened?" Wesley said gently as he kneeled beside the bed.

Buffy moved her empty stare from Cordelia to the ceiling. After a long silence, Buffy's lips cracked open. She said something and Wesley had to put his ear almost to her mouth to hear it. "They…they're all gone."

He reared his head back in shock not even thinking to doubt her words. "Gone!" he whispered harshly.

Buffy continued to stare at the ceiling. Everyone was gone. Angela. William. Angel. Spike. Her revenge had been swift, but hollow, for it couldn't bring any of them back. Reason told her she should count herself lucky that she wasn't gone too, but reason had been locked up by grief and silenced. Tears began to roll down the sides of her face, but they, like Wesley and Cordelia's exit were unheeded.

As she closed the door behind her, Cordelia turned to Wesley, "What are we going to do?"

"Well, that's hard to say. We could go to Wolfram & Hart and find out exactly what happened, but I doubt we'll get past the front doors before we are escorted out. We could wait till tonight -" he began.

Cordelia let out an exasperated sigh, "No, I meant what will we do about our jobs?"

Wesley opened his mouth to tell Cordelia exactly what he thought of her apathy when she grabbed her head and cried out in pain. She crashed to the floor, unable to bear the pain standing up. Minutes later, she opened her eyes to see Wesley's face about two inches from hers. "What did you see?"

Cordelia shook her head as if to clear it and struggled to sit up. "Buffy! We have to take her to the Oracles. Now!"

So, Wesley thought to himself as he helped her up and they made their way back to where Buffy lay, the prophecy had been fulfilled. They banged through the door to see that the Slayer had finally succumbed to slumber.

The Dreamscape

Buffy wandered through the hotel and as she walked, she became aware that there was someone walking with her. "Faith?"

The dead slayer smiled back at her and linked her arm through hers. "No. Not really. I'm just the face that your mind puts to what it is actually seeing."

Buffy nodded, comfortable with that knowledge, and let Faith lead her through the hotel. Finally they walked down the grand staircase and as they did, Faith turned to her and said, "The first of your kind had it all wrong. She had been cast out because of what I did to her. Her people did not understand that what I did was for the good of the world. She believed that she was meant to be alone."

Faith continued, "When the Watcher's Council and the tradition of a Slayer having a Watcher arose two thousand years ago, I believed that what I had truly intended was finally coming to pass. I was wrong."

"In ten thousand years, you are the only slayer to have discovered the true root of your strength. Not your physical ability, for that comes from me. Your strength, your heart, comes from those you love and love you."

Faith gestured around the foyer. There was a fire burning in the massive hearth. Her mom, Dawn, Xander, Willow, Tara, Anya, Giles, Cordelia, Wesley, Angela, William, Angel and Spike were all seated and smiling at her. Buffy turned to her and asked, "If my strength comes from love, then why do the people I love get taken from me?"

Night suddenly fell and the hotel was full of shadows, empty and silent. Faith was gone. In her place was a patch of black darker than the rest of the room. From it a voice spoke, "Things are not always what they seem, Buffy."

"Buffy."

"Buffy!"

Buffy's eyes flew open as Cordelia was shaking her and calling her name. "Buffy, you have to wake up, NOW!"

"I'm awake," she replied dimly. "Cordelia, what do you want?"

"I just had a vision. You have to see the Oracles."

Buffy looked at her dully. Realization dawned on her. They didn't just go away, they were taken by the Powers That Be to fulfill the prophecy.

"Angela? William? They're alright?" Buffy shrieked as she jumped from the bed nearly knocking over Cordelia.

Of course they're alright, Buffy thought as they left the room and she raced to change clothes. She was still wearing the demon muck soaked and caked clothing from the night before. Angela had said that she would see them again. She'd forgotten that after Angel disappeared in a ball of flame and Spike - -. Buffy's features crumpled as she thought of her lost love. Spike was still dust. She had never even gotten a chance to tell him that she loved him. He died thinking that she doubted him.

She rummaged around the room and in a drawer, she found Spike's silver cigarette case. It was empty, which was why he hadn't taken it with him last night. She took the coat that she wore last night and turned the pocket inside out over the case and let Spike's ashes funnel into the case. She sealed it and placed it in the inner pocket of her clean coat.

She remembered her strange dream. Things are not always what they seem, the darkness had told her. Allowing herself the briefest glimmer of hope, Buffy set out.

Evening, Just after Sunset

"I come before you to seek an audience…" Buffy mouthed the words that Cordelia taught her on the way to the site in her vision that would grant her passage to see the Oracles.

Buffy shielded her eyes from the bright white light. She looked around the dazzlingly light room, all cream and gold. It was different from how Cordelia had told her that Angel had described it. Where he had entered the presence of the Oracles immediately in their inner sanctum, she had arrived at the foot of a giant door. "Only the worthy may pass through the door unharmed," a voice boomed out at her.

Well, Buffy thought to herself as she pushed open the door, at least my children can't be killed like the previous Oracles had been. Shutting the door behind her, she found herself enveloped in a fierce embrace. Pulling away, she looked at her children, now fully grown. Their skin had a slight bluish tint, and they were dressed loosely draped white cloth, but otherwise they were just as she imagined they would look when they were grown. Looking at Angela, her daughter, was like looking into a mirror. Except that Angela wasn't sporting the faint creases that Buffy had found around her eyes before she left the hotel. Looking at William was very painful, because he looked exactly like Angel. He had his height, his soulful eyes, his smile. Everything but his name, which was Spike's.

The twins assembled themselves away from their mother reluctantly and took up their duty. "It is good to see you well, Mother." William began.

"We were worried for you." Angela continued.

"But, it is Father that we are more worried about," William concluded.

"Angel? He's alive? How? Where?"

Angela held up a hand to quiet her mother. "Sataaran has taken him to Asmodeus, into the greatest depth of Hell. He means to reopen the Hellmouth for good, ending this world. He needs Father's help for that."

"What can I do?" Buffy asked, confused. Why would Angel help to open the Hellmouth?

"Follow him to the Ninth Depth of Hell. You must defeat Asmodeus there to save this existence." William answered.

Angela cocked her head to the side, as if listening. "You were visited before you came to us mother. You must trust the darkness no matter what." Buffy nodded and felt herself being propelled towards the doors as Angela continued. "The Powers that Be will grant you a boon if you defeat Asmodeus. We will be watching, Mother. When you reach the Hellmouth, you and the other Slayers will be transported there. Good luck."

With that last word, a sense of rushing air passed by Buffy's ears and she was back in front of Cordelia. "Well? What did they say?" the brunette asked her as she walked purposefully out of the alleyway and towards the hotel.

"They told me to go to Hell!" Buffy called out over her shoulder.

Cordelia looked confused and took off after the Slayer.

Sunnydale, Later that Evening

After Buffy had described everything for both Wesley and Cordelia, she threw all of her belongings back into her mother's car and set off for Sunnydale. Cordelia jumped into Angel's car with Wesley and followed closely behind. After a brief stop at her home to fill her mother and Dawn in on what was going on and to stock up on weaponry, they headed for the magic shop.

Giles had just finished informing everyone of the end of the world when the door banged open to reveal Buffy suited up in black form fitting attire. Strapped to her back were a sword and small backpack that jangled with supplies. Behind her, Cordelia and Wesley quietly crept in.

"Buffy!" Xander stood and went to her. He was stopped halfway to her with a glance. Her face was hard and cold. "What happened?"

"I'll explain on the way. Annelise, Lisanne you're with me. Everyone else gather every weapon you can carry. Willow, Tara, Giles, spell stuff too. If we fail, we're going to need you to reseal the Hellmouth and for good."

Everyone cleared out of the room in search of what they needed They didn't even question Buffy. Giles lingered and went to Buffy who remained alone in the middle of the room. "What happened in LA?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

She looked up at him, all eyes. Her expression softened and she patted at the cigarette case that was hidden in her inside pocket. "Spike's gone. Angel's in Hell and the prophecy was fulfilled."

Giles stared at her with astonishment. "Buffy. Are you sure you can do this?"

"If I don't, it will be the end of the world. Permanently, this time." Buffy replied with steely determination. "I can do this, Giles."

The Ninth Depth of Hell

The ritual was almost complete. Asmodeus could feel the Slayer, gathering her friends. His attempt to keep the Oracles from fulfilling their destiny had been thwarted by the Powers. It was no matter. She would arrive, too late to stop him. He would add to his pleasure by killing her, but not before killing every person she loved first. It would be his finest hour. With Cetatari by his side, the world would be theirs.

The ritual required only one more ingredient. The ritual existed for eons as a mockery to all the inhabitants of Hell. For the last ingredient was something that had never existed up until a century ago.

Asmodeus cupped Angel's chin and stared at the unconscious vampire in fascination. He wondered if the gypsies had known what they were doing when they bestowed Angel's human soul upon him. If they had known what they had done would mean the end of the world. The curse was created only for Angel. It had never been performed before that, and it was never performed again on another vampire anywhere in the world.

The last component was the human soul that was housed in a vampire.


	5. Chapter 5

The End

Underground

Willow looked around and shuddered. It was cold, dark and dripping. She had brought a few vials of her make lots of light spell, but they had used that about half an hour back and its effects no longer reached where they were. When they had entered the darkness, Buffy had told them not to worry, that they were almost there. She clutched Tara's hand a little tighter and continued to walk.

Buffy, Annelise and Lisanne were at point, leading the way. Finally, they entered into a chamber that glowed with unearthly light. At its heart, a fissure gaped in the ground. Eerie cries and rages were heard emanating from it. The ground shook and the fissure widened.

"That wasn't here when I left it," Buffy said, trying to make a little light of the situation. Instead, the joke fell flat as her voice whispered it hoarsely.

"So, now what?" Annelise asked, a little uncertain. This was definitely the mouth of Hell, its contents eager to spew outward.

With that, the three Slayers disappeared.

The Ninth Depth of Hell

The time has come, Asmodeus thought to himself. He walked over to the rockface and unchained Angel. The vampire fell to the floor in a heap and remained there, not moving.

"Oh, you can't die on me yet, Angel. You're the guest of honor here!" Asmodeus teased the prone form. He lifted Angel up and pushed him against the wall. Holding him there, he paused before plunging his claws into Angel's chest and pulling.

Unknown Ethereal Location

"Where are we?" Lisanne asked, looking around.

They were on a patch of land that was vaguely rust colored that was floating in space. Rocks littered the landscape, but it was otherwise flat. The edge of the land could be seen clearly from where they stood. Buffy saw that the edge was just that, an edge; to step off that edge would probably mean floating in space indefinitely, and most possibly death, for the stars looked different and there was nothing else in the sky.

"Welcome to our realm," a voice that sounded like three voices combined boomed. "We are the Powers that Be."

Buffy looked all around her and saw that Annelise and Lisanne were doing the same, but she could not see where the voice(s) were coming from. A throaty laughter issued and the voice continued. "Child, you can not look upon us, for if you do, you will surely die."

At this Buffy frowned and asked, "What do you want? We have work to do."

"We know this child and we have brought you here to bestow upon you the full measure of your birthright, so that you may fulfill your destiny." The voice(s) said to her chidingly.

Buffy's frown became deeper as she sighed and waited. Can't any of these otherworldly creatures speak in anything but riddles?

"It is not a riddle, but a gift," the voices replied to her thought, "We believe you have already met your ally?"

With that, a burst of flame issued unseen from above and streaked to the ground in between Buffy, Annelise and Lisanne, where they had been standing in an uneven circle with their backs to each other in an unconscious move to protect one another. They jumped and turned to look into the center as the Faith stood from a crouching position and smiled at them.

Before Buffy could say anything, she smiled and said, "No, it's still not Faith. But in order to help you I must have a form. I received 'clemency' from the Powers when they saw that I sought to rid the world of the evil that remained after the creation and closing of the Hellmouth. I have resided here for ten thousand years, waiting for you three."

"For us?" Annelise asked.

Faith looked her way and nodded. "Yes. I knew from the beginning that I could not give my power to more than one girl at a time. When each died, the small measure of my strength would go on to the next. That was my punishment for my misdeeds in that time so long ago. I would be allowed to help save the world, but only through one mortal at a time. When you died the first time, Buffy, I knew that the end would soon come. Kendra was called, and gifted with my strength, but when you were revived, you were gifted again, thus becoming the strongest Slayer to ever live."

Faith turned to Annelise and Lisanne. "You two were not meant to be the way you are, either. Long before you were born, there was only one of you. Something happened and the two of you were born instead of one. You received my power doubled, so that together, you are also stronger than any Slayer. I know how much this power appeals to you. Before this is over though, you will both have to sacrifice."

At that Annelise and Lisanne looked at each other and wondered what the strange being that wore the visage of a Slayer meant.

She turned to Buffy again. "We're all doing this for closure and rewards. I know what the Powers mean to grant you Buffy, and you deserve it. I know what they mean to grant me, and for the first time in time as we know it, I will take up my responsibility and be at peace."

"We are pleased at your words," the Powers said from everywhere and nowhere at once.

With that, a flash erupted at the surface of the barren landscape of the rock and the four beings on it disappeared.

The Hellmouth

Willow cried out as another earthquake shook underground. Pebbles pelted them from the ceiling and the opening became wider. Willow could now see into the crevice and what she saw was not unscary. Though what spat and clawed at her from beyond the magical barrier that held it closed was nothing compared to The Mayor, they were nasty and could be deadly if they wanted to be. Cordelia cried out as another, larger rock hit her in the shoulder.

Giles looked to Wesley and they exchanged a glance. They both looked to Madeline and the grimness was shared by all three. They knew that when the Hellmouth opened, the demons would fly out fast and furious. From the look of the ones right at the surface, they were from the first tier of hell. Evil, yes, deadly, yes, easy to kill, not really, but definitely easier than what the Slayers had to go up against. Should the ones from the first tier escape the Hellmouth, those from the second layer of hell would follow, then the third and so on. They did not want to think what would happen then.

The Seventh Depth of Hell

A flash of light invaded the otherwise gloomy entrance. Buffy, Faith, Annelise and Lisanne stood and eyed their surroundings carefully. Behind them was a locked gate. Faith spoke up, "This way."

Buffy had forgotten that this was not really Faith. This was some darkness that the Powers that Be trusted to help save the world. And it knew its way around Hell. A definite plus.

"Not so fast," a male voice called out to them. "Master Sataaran would like to see you."

Buffy turned to see that it was that snide lawyer from Wolfram & Hart. Lindsey McDonald. Her lip curled and she rushed to him to punch him right in the nose.

Blood gushed outward and demons could be heard squealing with laughter from unseen locations. "That was expected," he continued, holding his nose. "But unnecessary. That was not a request. Good to see you again, Faith."

With that, he beckoned and twelve immense armored phantoms stepped forward. Lindsey didn't know that the real Faith was dead and neither did these specters apparently. Buffy looked towards Faith and saw that she had allowed herself to be held by three of the guards and she motioned for the others to do the same.

~*You must trust the darkness, mother, no matter what*~ Buffy remembered her daughter's voice and submitted herself to capture as well. Lisanne and Annelise still looked ready to fight, but followed suit.

They put up no resistance as they were led/prodded through this depth of hell. Hell was strange. It was always described as someplace that people went to if they were evil. No one ever thought about the evil that was already there. No pitchforks and devils either. It was barren and lifeless, yet full of creatures. There were a few vaguely human shapes, shades really that cried out mournfully as they passed. Other creatures, mostly demons, abounded. Fighting, eating, tearing what was left of the structures that had been erected to shreds. Buffy wondered how anyone could live in a place like this, that some demons must have some taste, but decided after a bloody chunk of appendage flew through the air and nearly knocked her and her escorts down that she was mistaken.

After the long trudge through the unbearable heat, the four of them, the twelve escorts and Lindsey arrived in what looked like a giant sized living room. The furniture and everything was fitted like any living room, just three times as big. Lila sat on a tremendous chair and said, "Sataaran will be with you shortly, make yourselves comfortable."

With that, the guards bowed and left. The girls looked at one another, and clambered up on the giant couch. None of them wanted to speak to Lila, but as they stretched out they began swapping demon killing stories.

"There was this one time in the fifteenth century, when a Cavore demon actually-" Faith began after Buffy had finished about The Mayor. She was interrupted by a large belch and Sataaran making his way into the room, clad only in boxer shorts.

"Hello girls, I've been expecting you. Would you like anything? Blood? Stewus Vomitus? Pus? Oh, wait you're only humans, you don't want any of that," he finished, chuckling.

He looked to Faith, "I wasn't expecting to see you down here. TPTB finally let you out to play?" Her eyes flashed with anger, literally, but she said nothing. Shrugging, he continued. "I bet you're all wondering why you're not dead yet."

Annelise spoke for the first time since entering Hell, "The thought had crossed our minds."

Sataaran began to laugh. "That was a good one. I'll have to tell Goran up on the Fourth about that. But seriously, I don't have anything against any one of you. I made my peace a long time ago and decided that I like it here. Don't really care too much about the earthly plane, you know?" he asked, conversationally.

He dropped down into a huge recliner. He popped the built in ottoman out and fished around behind the chair. When he drew his clawed hand out from behind it, he held a gigantic can which read "Lympho Cola: Now with platelets!" The Slayers all wrinkled their noses in disgust and waited for him to continue. "You see, I like it so much, I want to be the head guy here. That's what Asmodeus is. That guy. I can't stand him. Always ranting and raving about how he's going to take over the world."  
Buffy looked to Lisanne who was at the far end of the couch. Faith and Annelise caught her look also. 'Is this guy for real?' she mouthed to them.

He looked over at Buffy and she started, thinking he was angry. "Sorry about before," he said to her, his voice taking on a contrite tone. "I had to make a big show back in L.A. just in case Asmo was watching. Don't call him that though, he can't stand it. He needed Angel, but he was frustrated with the whole concept of being trapped in a pentagram so he sent me. Sorry about Spike, too. I saw what happened. A shame."

"Thank you." Buffy replied looking down. Was she actually having a pleasant conversation with one of the biggest and baddest of Hell?

Lisanne spoke up. "So why aren't we dead?"

Sataaran finished his soda and threw the can behind him. Lila promptly got up to retrieve it and disappeared with it through a door, which opened to reveal a triple sized kitchen. Buffy guessed Lila's punishment for being involved with all of Wolfram & Harts misdeeds was to suffer in Hell, alive, as the maid of this demon. His physique was amazing, but his manners were decidedly dreadful. Not an easy task to cook, clean and wait on a twelve foot demon bachelor. It was a good punishment as far as she was concerned. "Well, mostly because you guys don't matter. If Asmo opens the Hellmouth, I get his spot. If you guys kill him, I get his spot. You see? It really doesn't matter. No matter what happens, I get to be the number one guy in these parts."

Buffy took in the warped logic of this demon prince. She couldn't believe it. "So, that's it? You'll let us go?"

"Yep, go get'em girls. I'd actually like it better if you kill him. Never liked that guy," he replied with a winning grin. Absently, he ran his hand over one of his horns and waved them on with the other. "Lila! Get me something to eat!"

Looking at each other again, in disbelief of the entire exchange the Slayers followed Faith as she spoke. "Come on, I know a short cut."

The Ninth Depth of Hell

The vampire rose and grinned. "Thanks. That guy was killing me."

"You will do well to respect me, Angelus," Asmodeus replied. Angelus only glared at him and walked away.

He looked at his claws. They were still imbedded in Angel's chest, after he pulled him out of Angelus' body. He lay the battered body on the stone slab and chained down the limbs. The two were now separate. The soul, now in human form and the vampire, full demon. Now Angelus came back and studied Angel as Asmodeus prepared him for the completion of the ritual.

"Bastard!" Angelus cried out as he jumped up onto the slab and straddled Angel. He began to pummel him. Fist after fist went flying. Stomach, face, neck, even the crotch once. This all happened in a matter of seconds and before Asmodeus could stop him. Angel looked up at his tormenter to see that it was the demon who had haunted him for over a hundred years. The demon who wore his face. Weakly, he gathered up what he could and spit right into Angelus' face. Angelus howled with rage and made to snap Angel's neck.

"Pest!" Asmodeus cried out. He struck Angelus with all of his strength and the full demon vampire flew across the room, hitting his head on the jagged edge of rock that framed the entrance to this chamber. He lay still and Asmodeus was satisfied that he would no longer interrupt until the ritual was over.

Angel drifted in and out of consciousness and as he did, he thought about the prophecies. He knew that he one day was to become human and then die as a human. Drift. He knew that it would be after he had played his role in the final battle. Drift. He just didn't think it would be all on the same day. Dr-. He heard a gasp come from the direction he had seen Angelus fly.

"Angel!" Buffy cried out seeing Angelus' lying face down at the entrance to the chamber. She bent to help him when Faith pointed to Asmodeus and the slab with an identical Angel lying on it.

The Hellmouth

The ground shook furiously and the opening undid itself even more. But, for the first time, the magical barrier began to fade and weaken. The group gathered exchanged dark looks and readied their various weapons. They could only hope that Buffy, Annelise and Lisanne could defeat Asmodeus.

The Ninth Depth of Hell

Buffy gazed at the self proclaimed ruler of Hell. Hardly your classic villain, she thought to herself, as she studied him. He was tall, but not as tall as Sataaran and lithe. His face had a particular quality which forced her mind to conjure an image of a wolf, though the features were plainly human. His skin tone, eyes and robes were varying degrees of silver and gray. His long hair was a shock of blinding white. He looked a little like a sinister elf, Buffy thought to herself. She shivered. In the few seconds it took her to size up her greatest enemy ever, the temperature in the room plummeted from chilly to frostbitten.

"Cetatari!" he roared.

Buffy whirled as a cloud of dust appeared in front of her. The cloud condensed, reforming itself to take on the shape of a woman who was both beautiful and rotting. Through her exposed ribcage, a blackened heart beat sickly, spewing ichors with each weak pulse. "Yes, my lord?" she queried.

"Take care of our 'guests'."

"With pleasure," she answered in a tone that was both seductive and threatening.

The Seventh Depth of Hell

"Cetatari finally got out of that dungeon she likes to call a home?" Sataaran wondered aloud, staring at the movie theatre sized screen in front of him.

"Lila! Get me some popcorn. This is going to be good!"

The Ninth Depth of Hell

The group of four had split up. Annelise and Lisanne were taking on Cetatari and Buffy and Faith were against Asmodeus.

As they fought, Asmodeus taunted Buffy. "You can't stop me. The ritual has already begun. The Gate to the first Depth is almost unlocked. You can bet that even if you stop me, your friends will be dead."

Buffy grimaced and she punctuated each word with a punch or a spinning kick to Asmodeus' face. "My. Friends. Won't. Die. You. Will."

A pale and sickly light began to emanate from the slab where Angel was still strapped in. Asmodeus grew frustrated as he matched both Buffy and Faith blow for blow. "I have had ENOUGH!" he cried out.

With that, he raised his arms and they began to crackle with energy. At the same time, Lisanne and Annelise fell to the ground unconscious. Buffy fell to her knees. Faith vanished and a darkness replaced her form. Asmodeus witnessed this and turned. "You! You are what created all of this. Their deaths are on your head!"

Lightening flew from Asmodeus' hands and passed through the darkness, not harming it. The lightening zagged across the room to hit Cetatari as she was about to kill the two unconscious Slayers. She jumped as the bolt hit her and turned. She gave Asmodeus a shamelessly lewd grin and collapsed.

Sickened, and weak, Buffy looked up as Asmodeus turned to her. Suddenly, she felt power surge through her. Faith, Kendra, Annelise, Lisanne, Nicky and the Chinese Slayer that Spike had killed, thousands of faces flashed in front of her, each running into a blur as the next one took its place, only to be blurred as well. She stood up and swung at Asmodeus.

"How do you like that, Asmo?" she heard herself asking. Kick, punch, spin, kick. "And that?" she grunted. Asmodeus landed on the ground and skidded up against a wall. She haunted his trail and sat astride his lap. She grasped his head and held him down with a strength she knew wasn't her own. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Annelise and Lisanne struggle to their feet and stumble to the stone slab.

The Hellmouth

The magical seal broke open and the first horde of demons poured out of the fissure in the ground which was now large enough to hold a tank. Weapons flew as well as spells. A few demons escaped into the cave system, but most were dead.

"Well that wasn't too hard," Xander commented.

No sooner than the words were out of his mouth than another two score of demons issued forth from the gaping hole.

The Ninth Depth of Hell

As she held Asmodeus, Buffy shouted instructions to Annelise and Lisanne. Dimly, she was aware of speaking, but she didn't know where the words were coming from, for she wasn't thinking them. The demon lord made a sharp movement and Buffy sank her hands further into his hair, and pulled. Asmodeus' head whipped sharply against the wall. He whimpered, "How are you doing this? No mere mortal, even with what little power you have can do this to me."

Buffy saw that Lisanne and Annelise had, after some difficulty, freed Angel. They supported his weight almost unsuccessfully between them. The shadows cast themselves against the contours of Asmodeus' face. She moved so that her face was only whispers away from his. "Do not worry about how I have done this. You have lost and I am free."

Buffy drew the sword that had lain across her back forgotten for most of this battle. She yanked the hair down and with it the demon king's head. Asmodeus stared up at the Slayer and saw the blackness of her eyes and understood. Only one who is like him could defeat him. He closed his eyes as the blade sliced through.

Buffy ran to where the other three had collapsed and dove. A blinding flash of black light exploded out of the stump which used to support Asmodeus' head. It was followed immediately with a golden white discharge.

The Hellmouth

A blaze of golden white light ripped through the cavern of the Hellmouth, killing every demon in its path. When it dissipated, all who had gathered there looked in shock as the opening, which had widened to fit a jumbo airliner was suddenly closed. In its place were the figures of five people. Their shapes were outlined against the smoke which rose around them. Willow looked up from where she was kneeling, bandaging a gouge some unfriendly demon had put into Tara's leg and saw the figures as well. She said a few words under her breath and a wind blew through the grotto.

Everyone's mouths hung open with shock. They could hardly believe what they saw. Buffy, Annelise and Lisanne, they expected. Angel was no surprise, but Faith?

She held up a hand to stay any questions. "I'm not the Slayer you all knew. But now, I am the One. The Hellmouth is gone. Buffy, Lisanne and Annelise have been released. No more Slayers will be called. I will take my leave to finish off what is left here."

In a swirl of darkened mist, she disappeared, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

"That wasn't Faith, was it?" Xander asked in a small voice.

Smiling at her friend, Buffy shook her head. Together, they helped Angel to his feet. He was still out cold, but he was slowly coming to enough to walk. His breathing was fine and his pulse steady. Willow and Tara reached out to help Lisanne while Anya and Cordelia walked ahead with Annelise's arms thrown over their shoulders. The now former Watchers found purchase in each other's outstretched hands as they too waded out of the cavern.

Early That Morning

They had all piled into the three cars that were waiting where they had parked them haphazardly before beginning the evening to save the world. Buffy pulled out into the early morning traffic and Giles and Cordelia followed. No one had said a word since they had emerged from the caves. She opened the door to her home and they all filed in, some painfully, but all thankfully under their own strength. Every one of them sat themselves comfortably somewhere in the room whether on furniture or on the floor, and promptly fell asleep. Buffy was the last and as she looked around the room at her friends and allies, she smiled and fell into her own restful slumber.

As Joyce and Dawn awoke later that morning, they were surprised to see all twelve of them strewn across the floor, but relieved that everyone was alive.

Epilogue

Later that day, they all gathered at the magic shop. Anya bemoaned the lack of adequate cash intake for the day, and Xander told her in a lot of words to shut up. But, the exchange was lighthearted and punctuated by hugs and giggles. Cordelia wandered through the store with Willow and Tara. She would point, they would name. It was a good game. Everyone else sat around the table discussing what had happened the night before.

"It was weird. One second, I was down, almost dead, the next, wham! I'm super Slayer." Buffy shivered a little. She hoped that no one would notice, but Angel did. He didn't say anything. She remembered the cold and calculating ruthlessness of the darkness as it worked through her. That is what Dracula had told her about. The darkness, it was there all along. She was just afraid to admit it to herself. Now this darkness was out in the world, hunting the last remnants of demon kind on this earth. She wondered what would become of it when it was finished.

Annelise spoke up, "We wondered what it had meant when it said that we would have to sacrifice, Lisanne and I. We know now that our sacrifice was the power. We loved the power that we had. But I'm not sorry to see it go. We can live normal lives now."

Lisanne nodded in agreement as Giles spoke. "Yes, well…Humility is a great virtue. I suppose we can all breathe a cautious sigh of relief. For as long as the Hellmouth existed, the danger was always there that it could be opened and we would all be doomed. Now it is gone, erased. I must say as far as prophecies go, that one was a bit vague. It is the end of our world as we knew it."

Buffy nodded swiftly. "It was the truth."

Angel looked at her, with a faraway look in his eyes. "I got my reward. I'm human again. After more than two hundred and forty years, I'm finally human."

Buffy looked at him, remembering their conversation on that Valentine's Day. Could it have been only five and a half months ago? "Angel," she began and got up.

Angel pushed himself away from the table and followed her out into the daylight. She sat on the bench outside of the shop and looked away as he pushed through the door. He sat next to her and draped his arm casually around her shoulder. She carefully pulled away and wiped the stray tears from around her eyes. He reached around and pulled her face until she was looking into his eyes.

"Annelise and Lisanne got their reward. You got your reward. But I didn't get what I wanted. Faith said that I would get what I deserved. It's true that now I can have a normal life, but after everything that I've been through, its not what I want. It's just too soon. Too much has happened."

Angel looked at her, with his brow furrowed and drew closer. "What do you want?"

A brilliant light enveloped them and they found themselves in the presence of the Oracles, their children.

"Hello Father." William stated.

Angel looked to see his son, grown exactly as he was. His daughter, the duplicate of Buffy. Tears formed in his eyes and he opened his arms to them. They returned his embrace and reassembled themselves on the steps in the rear of the room.

Angela looked at her parents sadly. "A bargain must be made. Father, what do you want?"

"For Buffy to be happy." Angel replied without hesitation.

"Mother, what do you want?" William asked.

Buffy glanced tearfully at Angel and then back at their children. "Spike."

"Your wishes outweigh ours in this matter in the eyes of the Powers that Be. Never again will your souls cross paths in this lifetime. For your sacrifice, Father, the Powers are willing to grant you the ability to continue their work, but you will remain mortal. For your sacrifice, Father, Spike will be returned as well to the realm of humanity. Do you accept these terms?" Angela inquired

Angel cast his eyes on Buffy. Her face was a mixture of hope and pleading. Love and anguish. He bowed his head. "I accept."

"You have been granted one minute before you must part ways forever, each knowing that the other exists, but no longer of each other's world."

Buffy threw her arms around Angel's neck, crying. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Angel."

He tucked his chin into her shoulder and stroked her hair. He hushed her gently and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be there next time. I'll be there for you. I'll be waiting, Buffy. I love you."

She pulled back from him and tears continued to run down her cheeks. "I love you too, Angel. I'll be looking for you."

Angela and William looked at each other and nodded. A flash of light burst through their chamber and Buffy landed in front of the magic shop. She wondered what had happened to Angel. Where he was. She loved him more for what he did for her happiness. She knew that when they met again, there would be nothing that would complicate their lives and they would be together. She also knew that it was impossible this time. She knew who she wanted to spend her life with.

She reached into her inside pocket to pull out Spike's cigarette case and found that it was missing. She must have dropped it when she fell. She looked around the ground and under the bench when she saw a very familiar looking pair of boots. She looked up and saw worn black denim and the black leather of a duster. She continued and saw a black tee shirt and a hand with the nails painted black outstretched in front of her.

The hand pulled her up and into an embrace. She kissed his lips that were warm at last. She looked into his deep blue eyes and traced her fingertips through his white blonde hair, as it shone in the sunlight and said the words that she had wanted to from their very beginning.

"I love you, Spike."

 

The End


End file.
